Treasure Houses Tour

Introduction

Time: All Year

Accommodation: 5 Star Hotels

Start Date: Any Length of Tour

Group Size: Singles, Couples, Families and Small Groups

London is the place where most visitors arrive and stay whilst on vacation. The capital has many and varied attractions but a few miles out of town there are a collection of incredible world famous houses, gardens, forts and castles.

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On this tour, we have picked a few of the best and you can choose whatever interests you. Each day we will escort you to your chosen attraction and then guide you to the important aspects. We will also give you a tour of the countryside and villages surrounding the houses, so you will be able to discover the true, hidden England. Further afield, there are attractions such as Warwick Castle, the Eden Project and the beautiful city of Bath.

If you prefer to arrange you own accommodation and take each tour as a day tour this is easily arranged. In the London area you can choose from:

Windsor Castle and Eton College

Hampton Court and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Hever Castle and Gardens

Audley End House and Gardens

Woburn Abbey and Hatfield House

Waddesdon Manor and Blenheim Palace

Knole House and Penshurst Place

Leeds Castle and Gardens

Scotney and Bodiam Castles

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Why not create your own tour? As with all our tours the attractions you see will take account of your interests and can be adapted to what you want to see. So, if you want to see places not on the list below, just let us know. Complete our enquiry form to find out more »

Itinerary

Windsor Castle

WINDSOR CASTLE is one of the finest palaces anywhere. It is still the private residence of the Queen and it remains the oldest inhabited castle in the world. Built on a rocky outcrop the castle was the creation of William the Conqueror in 1070. Subsequent monarchs have added their own additions and eventually, the castle has been turned into a gigantic complex of houses, barracks, state rooms and churches. The state rooms are without doubt some of the best in the country and St George’s Chapel is probably the best existing example of medieval gothic architecture. Also included is Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.

Hampton Court and Kew Gardens

HAMPTON COURT has something for everyone. The palace was begun in 1515 by Chancellor Wolsey but it was soon handed over to Henry VIII when Wolsey could not secure the King’s first divorce. Henry then transformed the palace but it wasn’t until the time of William and Mary in the C17th when Wren redesigned it took on its current look. The King and Queen State Rooms are grand. The gardens are rare examples of C17th privy gardens and the maze is always amusing. The Royal Botanic Garden at KEW – now a World Heritage Site, can be visited either at the beginning or end of the day.

Hever Castle

HEVER CASTLE is one of the most complete C14th English castles still standing. As the home to Ann Boleyn the castle had a long and interesting history before as a virtual ruin, it passed to American tycoon, William Waldorf Astor in 1901. He set about restoring and renovating the exterior and interior with over 800 craftsmen. He also built a replica Tudor village. The grounds are immensely popular divided between an Italian Garden, a 35 acre lake, exotic bedding and herbaceous borders. There is even an innovative modern day maze that squirts water when you go in the wrong direction.

Audley End

AUDLEY END is colossal palace was completed in 1614 by the Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk. It passed to Charles II after the Howards had become burdened with debt. The house is Elizabethan in style, but was modified in the late Jacobean period by the distinguished architect, Vanburgh. The grounds were redeveloped by Capability Brown and the interiors by Robert Adam. Today, the house is a stuffed with a huge picture collection, the state rooms have been restored to their glorious Jacobean feel and there is an unusual natural history exhibition.

Knole House - Penshurst Place

KNOLE dates from 1456 when it was the country residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Following the reformation, the house was seized by the crown before, passing to the Sackvilles in the C17th. The house was then remodelled and there are now 18 state rooms open to the public with huge paintings by Van Dyke and Larkin. PENSHURST PLACE was once home to one of the Elizabethans age most glamorous figures, Sir Philip Sidney. The house pre-dates him to 1341 and has many unusual features including a superbly preserved great hall and Tudor staterooms. The gardens are some of the oldest in the country.

Blenheim Palace - Waddesdon Manor

BLENHEIM PALACE is a World Heritage Site. It is home to the Dukes of Marlborough, and the best existing example of Baroque architecture. The house has famous tapestries and artefacts from all corners of the globe. One of their descendents was Winston Churchill and an exhibition about his life is included. WADDESDON MANOR is more French Chateau than English country home. Owned by the Rothshilds it was built to display their outstanding collection of treasures. There are 45 rooms to see. The Victorian gardens are regarded as the best in England with renowned parterre and wondeful views.

Leeds Castle - Bodiam Castle

LEEDS CASTLE is a really a renovation. The castle has been described as the most beautiful in the world and it was transformed by Henry VIII into a palace for Catherine of Aragon. The walls rise from a shimmering lake offering a classic cinematic fantasy. The castles interior has abundant antiques and tapestries. There are several gardens and an aviary. A short trip away, is BODIAM CASTLE. This evocative castle was built in 1385 by Edward Dalyngrigge. It was constructed to the latest in designs and became a template for a gentleman’s house of the day. It is much photographed and painted.